Why Do Army Recruiters Mislead Students to Get Them to Enlist?

Question

An ABC News undercover investigation showed Army recruiters telling students that the war in Iraq was over, in an effort to get them to enlist.

ABC News and New York affiliate WABC equipped students with hidden video cameras before they visited 10 Army recruitment offices in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

"Nobody is going over to Iraq anymore?" one student asks a recruiter. "No, we're bringing people back," he replies.
"We're not at war. War ended a long time ago," another recruiter says. One recruiter even claimed if you didn't like the Army, you could just quit.

Col. Robert Manning, who is in charge of U.S. Army recruiting for the entire Northeast, said that new recruits were likely to go to Iraq.

(Tell them the truth. That's all. Just tell them the truth.)

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=2626032

good point "ruththemeaniehead" I concure.

"weatherman" says the war is over.....I guess one can make themselves believe anything.

"Leanne", these kids are in Highschool....c'mon. Either way they are lying.

Answer 1

It's a simple question think about it if they told the truth wouldn't it go something like " Hey you'll have a better chance of getting killed than the average person, you'll make less than minimum wage when you consider that you have to available to serve 24/7 and If you get married or already have a family you'll be putting your life on the line AND you'll still qualify for Food stamps. Oh and just to help you make the decision talk it over with your family and let them know that the Republicans have cut the amount of the Death Benefit the family will receive."
When these recruiters get out of the Military you can usually find them telling some kid "No really this car was only driven to church by a little old lady on Sundays."

Answer 2

Actually, the war in Iraq is over. Regime change has occurred and we have won the war. What we are in now is a stabilzation periord. Terrorists are trying their hardest to not allow the new government to opperate.

Are people still dying? Are our troops still being sent there and being attacked? Yes and Yes. But the war is technically over in Iraq. The war on terrorism is underway all over the world, however.

As for one recruiter saying "if you don't like the Army, you could just quit."

As formerly being a servicemember, I can confirm that this is true. It may take some time, but you can get out of the Army if you don't like it. In basic training many people quit but they ended staying there longer than the 10 weeks of training. As with any contractual working agreement, you can get out of voluntarily enlistment in the service.

Answer 3

Oh my god I get to respond to this. I am blessed. They are also recruiting at one of the largest high schools in the san fernando valley. With predominately middle working class parents , also predominately latino. they are doing a cruel thing by waving an education program that most cant even qualify to take advantage of, if they will even live long enough to apply. They have been allowed more lucrative contact on campus. And they hype it up to egnore the enlisted persons risk of not surviving. Oh did I or anyone else mention they are building 14 military bases in Iraq. Why did we go there? Ohya to control the fuel cycle. We americans dont deserve an election until we pull our heads out of the sand. We are ostriches, sheep, nothing better, nothing more

Answer 4

CIA does. CIA positions require a full scope polygraph, which includes a question about illegal drug use. Army Intelligence specialties require a complete background investigation. They'll go back 15 years or from your 18th birthday. If you are under 20 years old, they'll go back at least 2 years. Any drug history during that time would probably show up. I seriously doubt that you'll get into an intelligence specialty, although I could be mistaken. The same thing with drug use and becoming an officer, If it turns up during your security background investigation, it could be a disqualifier.

Answer 5

With lines like, "War ended a long time ago" and, "Nobody is going to Iraq anymore" - the potential recruits would have to be from another planet to not see the sarcasm here.

Answer 6

Basically The American Army sees its memebers as nothing mnore than cannon fodder, as far as they are concerned you are a nobody. The Army owns your whole body when you enlist and they can do what they want with it.

That is Why soldiers are GIs, general issues. They are all the same pice of one big machine. and why the Generals can factor in "acceptable"" losses of 30% during a mission.

They are not dealing with people in their eyes only a commodity.

123 what are we fighting for ,dont ask me i dont give adamn next stop is kill Saddam

567 open up the pearly gates, aint noo time to wonder why WHOOPEE we re all going to die

Answer 7

It's very wrong that recruiters tell boldfaced lies such as this to prospective enlistees, and they should most certainly be reprimanded. That being said, before making life-changing decisions such as joining the military, it would benefit you to open a newspaper or watch the news once in awhile. Seriously, when they government tells us boldfaced lies in a similar fashion, we're just as bad as them if you believe them despite the obvious. Take responsibility. I'm in the military but I knew what that entailed before I took that dive.

Answer 8

if they cant produce there are plenty in Iraq and Afghanistan that rather be here recruiting than dodging steel and lead exchanging places is a signature length away

Answer 9

I agree that army recruiters should be required to not lie to recruits.

I also think that people should read contracts before they sign them.

Answer 10

From personal experiance (USMC) I say no!!! Many recruits are not happy when arriving at boot camp, but who is? But "misled" I wasn't and was glad that I could serve my country!!!